By our reporter| The ministry of health was on Wednesday directed to suspend further action on the plans to utilize the N10 billion released to them by the ministry of finance, to fund the production of COVID-19 vaccines by the national assembly joint committee on health.
The chairman, senate committee on health, Ibrahim Oloriegbe, who stated this on Wednesday, said the committee is dissatisfied with the explanation of the Minister, Osagie Ehanire, and has directed that the money should not be spent until the Ministry can state clearly, what the money will be used for.
He said, “This N10 billion is just given to you, with due respect, with what you have given to us, you don’t have a specific detailed plan for it. Our decision, for now, is that you can’t spend it (the money) until you provide us satisfactory answer. Once you provide us the details then we will invite all the necessary persons.”
Ehanire had at the meeting said the money was part of an agreement between the Federal Government and a foreign partner, May and Baker PLC for the production of bio vaccines.
According to him, the ministry is acting on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Government and the foreign partner for the production of the bio vaccines.
The Senate Committee, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the explanation of the Health Minister insisting the N10 billion should not be spent until a detailed plan is made available.
Ehanire was at the meeting with other representatives including the Minister of State for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora; the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, and the Director-General of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Faisal Shuaib.
The Health Minister had earlier during one of the briefings of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 that the N10 billion was released for local production of COVID-19 vaccines.
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